Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

192 HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE1852. the service onlya few months. Besides the cutterinto which the women and children had been put,only two small boats were got off, all the othershaving been stove in by the falling timbers, orotherwise rendered useless. When the ship hadbroken in two, she began rapidly to sink forward,and those who remained on board clustered on tothe poop at the stern, all, however, without theleast disorder. At last Captain Salmond, seeingthat nothing more could be done, advised allcould swim tojumpoverboard and make for thewhoboats. But Colonel Seton told the men that ifthey did so, they would be sure to swamp theboats and send the women and children to thebottom ;he therefore asked them to keep theirplaces, and they obeyed. The Birkenhead wasnow rapidly sinking. The officers shook hands andbade each other farewell, immediately after whichthe ship again brokein two abaft the mainmast,when the hundreds who had bravely stuck to theirpostswere plunged with the sinkingwreck intothe sea."Until the vessel disappeared," says an eyewitness,"there was not a cry or murmur fromthe soldiers or sailors. Those who could swimstruck out for the shore, but few ever reached it ;